We're relocating from TX in a couple of months and will most likely rent when we get to Cleveland. Location has to be close to major highways as DH's job will be on the East side and childcare (aka Grandma and Grandpa!) for our 14 month old will be in Westlake.

 

Any family friendly/safe neighborhoods to suggest or an online resource that showcases rental properties? We were thinking about some of those duplexes near the Lakeway/Hilliard exit of I-90 in Rocky River but would be open to anything that would give us a good midpoint location between East and West.

We're relocating from TX in a couple of months and will most likely rent when we get to Cleveland. Location has to be close to major highways as DH's job will be on the East side and childcare (aka Grandma and Grandpa!) for our 14 month old will be in Westlake.

 

Any family friendly/safe neighborhoods to suggest or an online resource that showcases rental properties? We were thinking about some of those duplexes near the Lakeway/Hilliard exit of I-90 in Rocky River but would be open to anything that would give us a good midpoint location between East and West.

 

Welcome!  :wave:

[*]Where exactly in Texas are you relocating from?  That will help us know what kind of neighborhood you currently live in.

[*]Where exactly on the eastside is the J-O-B?

[*]What type of family are you?  Suburban development or Hip Urban?

[*]How much are you looking to spend a month?

[*]Is it necessary to be close to the childcare?  Since the job is across town?

[*]What types of activities are you interested in?  Park?  Restaurants/entertainment?

 

Where exactly in Texas are you relocating from?  That will help us know what kind of neighborhood you currently live in.

We live in a college town about 100 miles from Austin and 90 miles from Houston. Very sprawly and suburban-like. We're not looking to replicate this kind of life at all.

 

Where exactly on the eastside is the J-O-B?

The job is in University Heights.

 

What type of family are you?  Suburban development or Hip Urban?

We'd probably rather be urban if the opportunity was there, but have grown accustomed to the car culture and stripmalls. I grew up in Cleveland and we used to live in Chicago (me: Lakeview, Dh: Evanston) prior to the move to TX and that environment suits us a lot more than our current TX existance.

 

How much are you looking to spend a month?

We're hoping to keep it under $1000/month for a 2 or 3 bedroom

 

Is it necessary to be close to the childcare?  Since the job is across town?

Yes. The whole reason behind the move is for my son to be closer to his grandparents (and, well, for us to escape Texas and get back to our Ohio roots). My mom doesn't drive well on highways, so if we moved to the East side, closer to DH's job, she'd probably see her grandson about as much as she does now.

 

What types of activities are you interested in?  Park?  Restaurants/entertainment?

We love it all. We'd love to have the opportunity to be ANYWHERE walkable again--to go to a corner grocery or Walgreens, grab an ice cream, walk to the library or park, have coffee, or a beer, and lunch nearby. Right now it's a near 8 mile round trip to the nearest Kroger for groceries.

This is a challenge.

 

Well considering there are no highways near University Heights, that's a challenge right there.

 

Sounds like you're a young couple and based on what you wrote, outside of the highway requirement, the type of neighborhood you want sounds like (and no i'm not being biased)

• Shaker Square
  
• Cleveland Heights/Shaker Heights - Great cities to raise a kid
  
• Beachwood (ick - its what you're trying to avoid, but near the highway)
  

 

I'm sure others will chime in.  I only listed the Eastside nabes, since it would be closer to the office.

We're not *that* young, btw---both mid 30's. We've been in Texas for 8 long years and we're super excited to finally be escaping! :)

We're not *that* young, btw---both mid 30's. We've been in Texas for 8 long years and we're super excited to finally be escaping! :)

 

I'm in my early 40's, and I'm young, so you two being in your mid 30's is young to me!  LOL

 

We'll were happy you've decided to return.  Bring all your neighbors & friends.

If Grandma is in Westlake and doesn't like highway driving, you're best bet is Lakewood. Its very family friendly, actually more urban/walkable than most of Cleveland and close to the grandparents. Sort of a cross between Evanston and Lakeview (8 or 10 years ago--not now!!). Getting to University Heights won't seem bad if you're driving 8 miles to Kroger's now.

^I second Lakewood - particularly with Grandma in Westlake; she'd have maybe a ten minute drive to Lakewood via I-90. There are also some main roads (surface streets/boulevards) that are near Westlake, cut through adjacent Rocky River and eventually get to Lakewood. For example, taking Lake Road through Rocky River from Clague would put her in Lakewood's western section within 20 minutes at most - and during the winter, those main roads are often better kept/plowed than the highway. She might even feel more comfortable utilizing those routes, I know I did when I lived in Westlake.

 

As for getting to University Heights, taking I-90 from Lakewood to East 55th up to Carnegie and then to Cedar... probably 30+ minutes in good traffic but not likely over an hour (outside of REALLY inclement weather). In all honesty, if your choice in any way needs to accomodate Grandma's driving from Westlake - disregard Shaker Square, Cleveland Heights, etc. That's simply not practical if she's part of the equation - and why would you give up having free babysitting? ;-)

I third Lakewood.  It's quite vast and there are tons of rentals, it's easy to get to and from Westlake and is close to I-90 as previously stated.  JMO but I would look on the west end of lakewood, perhaps on detroit, madison, or any of the N-S streets west of W 150th. 

I checked cleveland.com and found several 3 br's in Lakewood (singles and duplexes) in the $700-800 range - should be easy to find a nice rental.  Western Lakewood is a little more convenient as you can just shoot down Hilliard Blvd to Westlake and still have access to I-90 at Bunts or McKinley.  Most are older properties, yards are pretty small, and the houses may not be air conditioned.  But Lakewood is very walkable, nice access to the lake and Rocky River Reservation metropark which includes a dog park.  Also, with winter weather, having garage space is a real plus.

 

Cleveland's Rocky River Drive and Warren Village areas just south of I-90 and Lakewood have nice areas of brick streets and houses, and Riverside School is nearby, as are several Catholic schools (St. Mel/St. Mark/Our Lady of Angels/St Patrick).

i was just thinking western lakewood and the very areas you mentioned. i'd go with that. you'll run it by them of course but i think it's very westlake grandparent driving friendly!

Apart from cleveland.com are there any other places online I can search out double rentals in Lakewood? We'll most likely have to do our home search from afar and I'd rather not go the Craigslist route if I can avoid it.

 

Thanks again for all of your great help!

this site has some listings:

 

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/apartments_for_rent/lakewood_ohio/

 

It's tough because a LOT of the rentals in lakewood are just via posted signs in the windows/lawns. 

That's the absolute best way to find a rental place in Lakewood... just drive around and bring a pen and paper.

That's the absolute best way to find a rental place in Lakewood... just drive around and bring a pen and paper.

 

It's the best method anywhere.  The options you find in this manner are almost always cheaper.  Otherwise you're helping pay for an ad budget.

Hmmm...ok. Well looks like we'll have to send grandma and grandpa over to help search out some rentals for us. I don't know if we'll have a chance to fly up to Ohio before the big move. Thank again! :)

I'm a Lakewood resident.

 

The quality of your experience in Lakewood will depend greatly on your neighbors. When you check out some places, don't just listen to the person trying to rent the apartment or house. Go talk to some people already living there and ask them their honest opinion of the immediate neighborhood. There may be a problem neighbor who will ruin your experience. But also keep in mind that the response you get from someone may be overly sensitive. Lakewood is a crowded neighborhood and not everyone is ready to hear their neighbors' television or stereo or some loud talking. And sadly not everyone is tolerant of different ethnic groups. It is hard to keep to yourself in a place like Lakewood.

 

Having said that, there are some areas or nodes in Lakewood where you can walk to a LOT of amenities. A good location is near Kaufmann Park on Detroit Avenue between Andrews and Lakewood. Unless you can adjust to train horns, live south of Detroit in this area. You will find an amazing number of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, the main library, YMCA, Marc's grocery store (great selection and prices), a second-run movie theater at Detroit and Woodward, Beck Center for the arts a little farther west, and a 24-hour bus line on Detroit, plus a Lakewood circulator bus.

 

There are two other grocery stores in Lakewood but are much smaller than Marc's -- one on West 117th between Detroit and Clifton (near where I live) and another on Madison Avenue in a neighborhood called Birdtown (because streets are named Robin, Lark, Quail). You might like both of these areas, as both also have lots of amenites within a short walk. They are a little "edgier" or grittier, but you will find them very walkable.

 

But I think you would love homes within a half-mile or so west of Warren, and near Detroit Avenue (especially south of Detroit away from the railroad tracks). Visit the area and let me know if you agree.

 

Best part about renting, you can move pretty easily to another area you have since fallen in love with.

 

Welcome to Cleveland!

Thanks again for your help!

 

Looks like we'll be bunking-in with grandma and grandpa when we first arrive. We'll have a chance to get out and explore neighborhoods once we get to town, and hopefully find a decent place to live.  I couldn't figure out the logistics of choosing housing while still in Texas.

^i also endorse western Lakewood. Take a drive around, look at the signs in the yards.